California Adventure

We are just under a week from the New Year and — with it — the 124th annual Rose Parade held on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, California. This year’s theme is taken from the Dr. Seuss classic, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! and Disneyland Resort hopes to transport the parade’s millions of viewers to Cars Land, it’s newest addition at the Disney California Adventure theme park.

There’s a definite odd-man-out in this trio of mentions, but as they all came up in one of our routine product reviews, all have the same release date and should all be on most everyone’s wish list this holiday season, here they are all presented as one beautiful-sounding package.

First up is a recent Disney Parks release, ‘The Circle Sessions: The Music of Carthay Circle,’ which was released as a CD not all that long ago exclusively at Disney California Adventure. Already heralded as a must have, the digital album features twelve Disney classics with an all-new jazzy spin as heard at the Carthay Circle Restaurant on Buena Vista Street at the Disneyland Resort theme park.

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) today announced the recipients of its annual Thea Awards during the IAAPA Attractions Expo. The prestigious Thea Awards recognize and celebrate excellence in the creation of compelling experiences and places. TEA serves the global attractions industry, including theme parks, museums, world expos, heritage centers and resorts.

Among the named recipients is a triple-threat from the newly revamped Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort. In addition to the Cars Land themed area itself, Radiator Springs Racers and the Carthay Circle Restaurant located on Buena Vista Street are recipients of TEA’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement.

This summer, the eagerly anticipated additions of Buena Vista Street and Cars Land opened to excited Guests as part of a major expansion at Disney California Adventure Park. Now, those popular areas will undergo a spectacular holiday makeover, meaning that The Happiest Place on Earth Just Got Merrier.

Bustling and busy Buena Vista Street, which now welcomes you when you enter Disney California Adventure Park, is themed to a Los Angeles business main street from the 1930s. It re-creates the era when Walt Disney was establishing his world-famous animation studio.

The Disneyland Resort has announced that it will be offering a special preview opportunity for Annual Passholders to view the ‘Art of Frankenweenie‘ traveling exhibit on the evening of September 13, before it becomes accessible to regular park guests.

Passholders have the choice of packages, either a simple viewing experience or a complete dining package with both experiences taking place after park closing.

Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort has already released an innovative flash app to promote its new Cars Land expansion, allowing online guests to virtually tour the new land (by car, of course), visiting each of the residents of Radiator Springs to see their wares and learn more about the new shopping, dining and attraction experiences. Guests can even create, customize and share their own virtual Cars-inspired avatar for the virtual road trip.

From the initial announcement of the expansion at Disney California Adventure in 2007, through the opening of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street today, the ‘sizzle reel’ video we are pleased to share with you below takes a look at the announcements and changes that have helped shape Disneyland’s second gate into what it’s become.

With the grand opening of Cars Land and Buena Vista street at Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort rapidly approaching, Walt Disney Imagineering has put together this video package of titled ‘what guests can expect.’

Imagineer Kathy Mangum takes us through the final testing and preview stages of Cars Land which includes a look at the stunning audio animatronics used in Radiator Springs Racers as well as a look at other attractions such as Luigi’s Flying Tires and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, and dining option Flos V-8 Cafe.

When Cars Land opens its garage doors to the public on June 15, 2012, a whole new land inspired by the Disney/Pixar films will immerse Guests in an environment unique to the Disney California Adventure theme park. Even the most familiar of faces will have something to talk about as the meet & greet characters of Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen, who have been a staple at the parks for years, will now communicate with guests.

Just a few days before its grand opening on June 15, 2012, Cars Land and Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort opened its doors for previews for Annual Passholders, Disney D23 and Club 33 Members. Guests — along with Disney Parks brass such as Robert Iger, Tom Staggs, George Kalogridis and Mary Niven — enjoyed dining, shopping and the attractions in both areas: Radiator Springs Racers, Luigi’s Flying Tires, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree and the Red Car Trolley.